Why may Muslims not say a voluntary prayer during specific times in the day (excluding the mandatory praying times). I believe you may not voluntary pray from early sunrise, just after the afternoon and late sunset. or something like that. What gives?

Why may Muslims not say a voluntary prayer during specific times in the day (excluding the mandatory praying times). I believe you may not voluntary pray from early sunrise, just after the afternoon and late sunset. or something like that. What gives?

One can pray any time of the day or night outside of the mandatory 5 times. In fact it is encouraged.

I think maybe you have misunderstood the rule regarding praying just as the sun rises and as the sun sets.

Al-Bukhaari (548) and Muslim (1371) narrated that Ibn ‘Umar said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When the top edge of the sun has risen, then delay praying until it has risen above the horizon, and when the lower part of the sun has set, delay praying until it is fully set.”

Muslim (1373) narrated that ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir al-Juhani said: “There are three times at which the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade us to pray or to bury our dead: when the sun has clearly started to rise until it is fully risen, when it is directly overhead at midday until it has passed its zenith, and when the sun starts to set until it has fully set.”

Also note that prayer can take any shape or form whether it be in the formal acts of Salah (prostration) or a verbal prayer.

My understanding is that the reason for not praying during those times is due to many people praying to the Sun god during those times pre modern era. To avoid the misunderstanding that Islam is anything other than the worship of God alone, those times are prohibited as per the Hadith mentioned above. There is a we'll known myth that Islam is the worship of the renamed Sun/Moon god.

One can pray any time of the day or night outside of the mandatory 5 times. In fact it is encouraged.

I think maybe you have misunderstood the rule regarding praying just as the sun rises and as the sun sets.

Al-Bukhaari (548) and Muslim (1371) narrated that Ibn ‘Umar said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When the top edge of the sun has risen, then delay praying until it has risen above the horizon, and when the lower part of the sun has set, delay praying until it is fully set.”

Muslim (1373) narrated that ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir al-Juhani said: “There are three times at which the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade us to pray or to bury our dead: when the sun has clearly started to rise until it is fully risen, when it is directly overhead at midday until it has passed its zenith, and when the sun starts to set until it has fully set.”

Also note that prayer can take any shape or form whether it be in the formal acts of Salah (prostration) or a verbal prayer.

My understanding is that the reason for not praying during those times is due to many people praying to the Sun god during those times pre modern era. To avoid the misunderstanding that Islam is anything other than the worship of God alone, those times are prohibited as per the Hadith mentioned above. There is a we'll known myth that Islam is the worship of the renamed Sun/Moon god.

Ah, ok!

Thank you for the info and the interpretation, also makes sense to me.